Tonight we had the honor of visiting Verdansky Research Base, operated by the Ukraine. Originally established by the British as 'Base F' in 1947, the station was 30 years later renamed 'Faraday Station' in honor of the scientist Michael Faraday, whose accomplishments in electromagnetic radiation were right in line with much of the geomagnetic and upper atmosphere research conducted at the base. In fact, regular UV radiation readings conducted at the base resulted in the first significant evidence of ozone depletion over the Antarctic continent.

But I digress. Through the latter third of the century the UK was consolidating its 27 Antarctic research stations into a small number of bases. Some were abandoned, others dismantled. In 1996 the UK sold Faraday Station to the Ukraine for the sum of one British pound and the condition that the Ukraine would continue the research currently in progress, and thus the first Ukrainian team moved in to the base in February of 1997.

Piling in to the station's mud room, we were greeted by the station's IT guy who was also our tour guide. His Ukrainian accent was strong, his English presentation was well-rehearsed, and the jokes he sprinkled throughout the tour were all the funnier for their dry delivery.

Everyone manning Vernadsky Station is an overwinterer. Vernadsky operates on a 13-month rotation schedule, with one month overlap for the outgoing team to transfer responsibilities, traditions and knowledge to the incoming team. There are only 14 people on the station, 13 men and one woman, who's husband is also on the station.

Signs of the station's British origins linger (literally and figuratively) throughout the station's halls and lore. Much smaller and more rustic than Palmer Station, Vernadsky was eager to share everything about itself. We were clearly told their photography policy: "Take pictures of everything and share those pictures." The more publicity the station gets, the better the station fares.

While a relatively small research station, Vernadsky is not without its idiosyncrasies. While still a British base, the station once received a shipment of wood and orders for the base carpenters to construct a new pier to replace the old, faltering pier. The carpenters, thousands of miles from authority, decided that the old pier still had a few years left and proceeded to use the wood to fashion a traditional English bar instead. While they received a stiff reprimand for their choice, they started a tradition of stiff drinks on the base that survived, nay, was enhanced by, the transition to the Ukrainians.

Visiting the bar, which incidentally houses the ceremonial one pound note that bought the station, has become a rite of passage in the Antarctic. The Ukrainians distill their own Vodka using centuries-old ice harvested from a nearby glacier, and they pour it freely to any who ask (and convince those who don't). Adding to the lore of the Faraday Bar, the wall holds a collection of bras donated by women who have visited the station. Taking one for the team by giving one to the team, Daveen fulfilled our traditional obligation.

We drank, talked, and danced with the Ukrainians until after midnight, when the station master politely reminded us that even though the sun was still shining his men needed to get to sleep so they would be functional in the morning, and so with vodka-warmed hearts and bellies we made our way back to our own roving base, knowing that soon one of the Vernadsky crew was going to have to make a glacier trek again soon, because more vodka won't make itself.

This is only the beginning! We'll be posting dozens of stories and hundreds of photos over the next several weeks.Don't miss out! Come back often or subscribe to the feed to be notified of updates via email,FriendFeed, iGoogle, My Yahoo, or your favorite feed reader. LiveJournal users can subscribe here.